Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale.
Rüsselsheim. #opel is tackling its ambitious “Mission: Title Defence” in the FIA #erc Junior with a strong trio. The ADAM drivers in 2016 are Marijan Griebel, Julius Tannert and Chris Ingram. After Swede Emil Bergkvist’s sensational championship victory last year, the #opel works drivers in their lightning-fast ADAM R2s are again among the top favorites this season in the extremely competitive young talent class.
German Marijan Griebel (26, from Hahnweiler), who finished a strong third in the FIA #erc Junior 2015, is again part of the ADAC #opel Rallye Junior Team. New to the team is Julius Tannert (25, from Zwickau), winner of the ADAC #opel Rallye Cup and of the driver screening session in 2015. Both are promoted and supported by the ADAC Stiftung Sport (ADAC Sport Foundation). Chris Ingram (21, from Manchester) also joins the team. Last season, the Briton proved to be one of the toughest rivals of #opel drivers Bergkvist and Griebel in the FIA #erc Junior.
Two of the three #opel works drivers are counting on the experience and expertise of a new co-driver in 2016. While Tannert again partners with his regular co-driver Jennifer Thielen (31, from Luxemburg), from the third round in the Azores Griebel will drive with Lara Vanneste. The 25-year-old Belgian has a lot of international experience and she was a member of a works team in the WRC. Griebel will drive the first two #erc rounds with Pirmin Winklhofer (20, from Pocking). Katrin Becker will take the “hot seat” next to Ingram. In 2015, the 34-year-old from Schlitz in Hesse managed to capture two championship titles in the tough Austrian National Rallye Championship as co-driver of Michael Böhm.
“We have a really strong team in the line-up,” says #opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott. “No one knows better than we how incredibly tough the competition is in the #erc Junior. Of course the defending champion is permanently under particular pressure to succeed. But we’ve shown that we can handle pressure. I am sure that with the #adamr2 and our three driver duos we are so well positioned that #opel Motorsport will once again be a force to be reckoned with in 2016.”
In addition to the six FIA #erc Junior rounds, the three #opel works teams are also competing in other events with the highlight being the ADAC Rallye Deutschland (August 18 - 21). The #adamr2 crews are also #racing in the German WRC round in Trier as last season‘s class winners. #opel works teams’ participation in other national and international rallye events will be announced in due time.
To get ready for the FIA #erc Junior 2016, HERE is an exciting video with many of last season’s highlights.
Calendar FIA #erc Junior 2016
February 5 - 7 Rally Liepāja, Liepāja/Latvia (gravel/ice/snow)
April 7 - 9 Circuit of Ireland Rally, Belfast/Northern Ireland (asphalt)
June 2 - 4 SATA Rally Açores, Ponta Delgada/Azores/Portugal (gravel)
June 23 - 25 Kenotek by CID Lines Ypres Rallye, Ypres/Belgium (asphalt)
July 15 - 17 auto24 Rally Estonia, Otepää/Estonia (gravel)
August 26 - 28 Barum Czech Rally Zlín, Zlín/Czech Republic (asphalt)
© Copyright 2024